About Mountain Hostel Tarter
Opened in 2012, Mountain Hostel Tarter was the first hostel in El Tarter, a small village in the country of Andorra. Sandwiched between Spain and France, Andorra is a tiny country known for its winter snow sports and summer hiking.
A renovated building with lots of character, the hostel is a gorgeous space with well thought out interior design and matching furnishings. The common area is lovely and has bean bags to sink into after an active day. There is a TV so you can watch movies as well as playing cards and board games so you could find yourself being invited to a game with others. There is an outdoor BBQ and garden area with amazing views of the slopes and their swim/spa area; a pool and a jacuzzi on the higher terrace!
They literally have everything you need for any activity you want to do here. They have ski storage and will provide you with a locker. You can also borrow snow shoes and poles if you are planning to do some walking.
The kitchen has everything you need for cooking, including a communal shelf for food, and individual baskets to label and put your own food in. You can have a hot shower in the communal bathroom 24/7, and there is also a laundry service for washing and drying your clothes.
Location
El Tarter is a gorgeous location with 2 valleys. It also connects to the National Park in Sarten where you can go horse riding during the months of June to September. If you come here for the skiing or snowboarding, the location is simply perfect with the funicular a short walk away. It is also in a good spot for hiking trails. There is a supermarket nearby, a burger restaurant and a fondue restaurant – one of Andorra’s specialities. Plus it’s away from the main road so it is nice and quiet.
On a Saturday afternoon you can walk down to the best apres-ski party in Andorra at the terrace by by the bus stop.
Rooms
In total Mountain Hostel Tarter has 9 rooms. Dorm rooms have 4,5 and 6 bed mixed dorms, and there is one private room with a shared bathroom. The hostel always tries to put girls together in the same room especially those who are travelling alone.
The rooms have a skylight providing the rooms with daylight. The beds are comfy with a duvet and each bed has a light and plug plus there are hooks to hang your coats and towels on. There are heaters in the room to take the edge off if it gets a bit cold.
Safety
Andorra is a really safe country. Their staff patrol the premises and there are security cameras at the hostel entrances. Reception closes at 8pm and there is a passcode for the outer door of the hostel which is also needed during the day if the staff aren’t at the hostel, so it’s incredibly safe. The rooms are lockable and you are given a key. Under the beds in the dorm are lockers which are built into the beds and require a padlock to lock them which you can buy from reception.
Why is it Solo-Female Friendly?
This hostel is so incredibly friendly. The staff are amazing and the guests are some of the nicest you’ll meet in a hostel environment with a mix of couples, solos, groups of friends and even families. It is such a sociable place and has an ideal layout to meet others. Did we also mention their swim/spa area opening in Summer 2017 🙂
Many women come here to hike alone so you can expect to find other solos here. Plus, in July each year they hold a Girl’s Bike Weekend where between 30-40 women stay at the hostel to get active and take part in workshops.
Why We Love It!
There is free tea and coffee and between 9am – 11am you can buy a choice of 2 special breakfast packages. Starting from 9am including drinks and pastry or mini-sandwiches. You get 10% off food and drink in Dylan’s Bar & Restaurant which is just down the road and you can bring it back to eat at the hostel. You also get 10% off ski or snowboard rental too!
The hostel has quiet hours between 11pm – 8am which means that it is easy to get a good night’s sleep (the mountain air helps too). Did we mention the log fire that they light at night to keep it warm and cosy?
How to Book
You can find Mountain Hostel Tarter on booking sites. Prices start from 22 Euros for a bed in a dorm room.
